Lemon Raspberry High Protein Cheesecake Bars
Love cheesecake but need a protein-packed option that still tastes like dessert? This high protein cheesecake blends cottage cheese and Greek yogurt into an ultra-creamy cheesecake filling that’s sweet, tangy, and completely satisfying. With bright lemon flavor, a raspberry swirl on top, and a golden graham cracker crust, this recipe proves you can have your cheesecake and eat your protein, too.
Ingredients
- 12 oz raspberries
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 2/3 cups graham crackers crumbs (I used Simple Mills Sweet Thins pulsed in the food processor)
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar (can sub brown sugar)
- 5 tbsp melted butter
- 3 cups 2% cottage cheese (I used Good Culture brand)
- 1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
- 3 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Combine the raspberries and sugar in a blender and blend on high for 1 minute until smooth. Use a spatula to press through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and discard the pulp and seeds. Scrape the bottom of the strainer to get as much of the sauce as possible. Set aside.
- Combine the crust ingredients in a bowl and mix well until it looks like wet sand. Spray a 9-inch square pan with avocado oil and press the crust down into an even layer using your hands or the bottom of a glass jar. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Blend the cottage cheese in a blender until smooth. Add it to a bowl along with the Greek yogurt, sugar, arrowroot powder, eggs, egg yolk, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla and almond extracts. Mix well to combine.
- Pour the filling into the warm crust and smooth out with a spatula.
- Spoon 1/2 of the raspberry puree over top and swirl to make a design using a toothpick and make it look pretty! Set the rest of the sauce aside in the refrigerator for topping when the cheesecake is ready to serve (optional).
- Bake for 50-60 minutes until the sides have browned and started to pull away from the pan and the top looks set (but still slightly jiggly).
- Turn the oven off, then crack it open and let the cheesecake bars cool inside for 1 hour. Place in the refrigerator overnight for best results.
- Slice into 16 bars with a wet knife and serve with a drizzle of the remaining raspberry sauce on top, if desired. Add whip cream and a small wedge of lemon and enjoy!
Notes
Love cheesecake but need a protein-packed option that still tastes like dessert? This high protein cheesecake blends cottage cheese and Greek yogurt into an ultra-creamy cheesecake filling that’s sweet, tangy, and completely satisfying. With bright lemon flavor, a raspberry swirl on top, and a golden graham cracker crust, this recipe proves you can have your cheesecake and eat your protein, too.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!